CORONAVIRUS AND TOURISM IN SPAIN 275 This project analyses the main regulatory provisions that directly affect the tourism sector and/or tourists since the beginning of the crisis. 2. THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS IN SPAIN Article 116 of the Constitution concerns the States of Alarm, Emergency and Siege, whose Regulation must be carried out by Organic Law. Article 55 provides for the suspension of some rights and freedoms in cases of declaration of a State of Emergency or Siege, and Article 169 establishes that the constitutional reform may not be initiated in time of war or in force of any of the states provided for in Article 116: “The state of alarm will be declared by the Government by decree agreed upon in the Council of Ministers for a maximum period of fifteen days, reporting to the Congress of Deputies, meeting immediately for this purpose and without whose authorisation said period shall not be extended. The decree will determine the territorial scope to which the effects of the declaration extend ” (116.2); and section 6 adds that the declaration of the States of Alarm, Emergency and Siege will not modify the principle of responsibility of the Government and its agents recognised in the Constitution and laws. The constitutional mandate was carried out with Organic Law 4/1981, of 1 June (LOAES), which developed the three states and which provides in its first Article that the declaration of these states will proceed when extraordinary circumstances make the maintenance of normality through the ordinary powers of the competent Authorities. More, the measures to be adopted, as well as the duration thereof, will, in any case, be strictly necessary to ensure the restoration of normality. Its application will be made in proportion to the circumstances, and its declaration will not interrupt the normal functioning of the constitutional powers of the State. Regarding the State of Alarm, Article 4 establishes that, by use of the powers granted by Article 116.2 of the Constitution, it may be declared by the Government, in all or part of the national territory, when any of the following severe disturbances of normality occur: a) Catastrophes, calamities or public misfortunes, such as earthquakes, floods, urban and forest fires or accidents of great magnitude; b) Health crises, such as epidemics and serious situations of contamination; c) Paralysis of essential public services for the community, when the provisions of Articles 28.2 and 37.2 of the Constitution are not guaranteed, and any of the other circumstances or situations contained in
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